CLAS stands for College Level Academic Skills and is a state-mandated requirement that measures attainment of
communication and mathematics skills expected of students completing their sophomore year in college. A student
must meet CLAS requirements to earn the Associate in Arts or a baccalaureate degree from any Florida public institution.
If the CLAS requirement has not been satisfied by the time a student registers for his/her 36th hour of upper level
coursework (3000 and 4000 level courses) a TL hold will be placed on his/her records and course
registration will be restricted to 1000 and 2000 level courses until the requirement is met.
CLAS Requirements
Students must satisfy the 2 subsections (Computation Skills and Communication Skills) of the CLAS requirements via one
of the following methods:
Computation Skills
To satisfy the Computation Skills requirement of the CLAS, the student must achieve:
- SAT-I Mathematics score of 500
OR
- EACT Mathematics score of 21
OR
- 2.5 GPA in two courses from the following (at least 6 semester hours which can include credit by examination hours)
- Any MAC course w/ last 3 digits of 102 or higher
- MGF X106 - Liberal Arts Mathematics I
- MGF X107 - Liberal Arts Mathematics II
- MGF X113 - Topics in College Mathematics I
- MGF X114 - Topics in College Mathematics II
- MGF X118 - Mathematics for CLAST Review
- Any MGF course w/ last 3 digits of 202 or higher
- Any Gordon Rule statistics course
- Any math course that has College Algebra (MAC 1105) as a prerequisite
- Accuplacer CPT examination
- Elementary Algebra (CPT-A) - score of 91 required
Gordon Computation (6A) Courses
Communication Skills
This requirement is made up of three subsections (Reading, English Language, and Essay) that can be met in different ways.
The Communication Skills requirement can be met completely with a 2.5 GPA in two
Gordon Communication(6A) courses
(excluding SPC prefix). One of these courses must have the ENC prefix.
For example, a combination of a B grade in ENC 1101(3cr) and a C grade in
LIT 2000(3cr) would fulfill the complete Communication Skills requirement of CLAS.
Alternatively, to satisfy the Communication Skills requirement subsections of the CLAS, the student must achieve:
Reading
- SAT-I Critical Reading score of 500
OR
- EACT Reading score of 22
OR
- Accuplacer CPT Reading Comprehension (CPT-R) score of 93
English Language and Essay
- SAT-I Writing score of 500
OR
- EACT English score of 21
OR
- Accuplacer CPT Sentence Skills (CPT-S) score of 105
Students who have already earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally-accredited institution are
considered to have satisfied the CLAS requirement. In addition, students who have earned an Associate of Arts
degree from a Florida public community college are considered to have satisfied the CLAS requirement. An Associate
of Science degree is not sufficient to satisfy the CLAS requirement.
Waivers are granted according to State Board of Education and State Board of Governor rules for students with English
as a Second Language, learning disabilities, or in cases of repeated failures. University waivers for repeated failures
are granted for extenuating circumstances in rare cases. If a waiver is approved, the student's transcript shall include
a statement that the student did not meet the requirements of this subsection and that a college academic skills waiver
was granted. Students may speak to their academic advisor regarding a waiver if they meet the following criteria:
ESL -English as a second language or English as a foreign language with a minimum grade point
average of 2.0 in all college credit courses in the skill area for which a waiver is being considered, and
has met "Gordon Rule" requirements for that area.
Disability waivers - Section 1008.29(5), F.S., and State Board of Education (SBE) Rule 6A-10.0311(6), FAC, provide special consideration
for students in public institutions who have a specific learning disability such that they cannot successfully complete
one or more CLAS requirement. At USF, a student must first register with Students with Disabilities Services (SDS) in order to
document a learning disability. A request for a CLAS waiver will be submitted by the student to the director of SDS who
will forward a recommendation to the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies for final decision.
University Waivers -
- Secondary Coursework Waiver - Those students who do not meet the specific skills by achieving 2.5 GPA in two courses must
achieve a 2.0 GPA in at least 3 courses of the skills area and demonstrate the specific skills for which the waiver is sought.
- Repeated Failure Petition - If a student does not meet the 2.0 coursework criteria for 3 or more courses the student may
petition through a written statement to the director of advising for their college, stating how they have demonstrated the specific
skills otherwise in that skills area for which the waiver is being considered (i.e., remediation, tutoring, testing, etc.).
The advisor/director will petition on behalf of the student to the University CLAS Waiver Committee (in Undergraduate Studies)
and will include the student's statement with the college's support for the waiver. The committee will review the student petition
and determine what, if any, additional requirements must be met before a waiver is granted. The University CLAS Waiver Committee's
decision is final and not subject to further appeal within the University.
Please Note: CLAS waivers are not acceptable for admission to or graduation from programs
in the College of Education.
If you still have questions regarding these requirements or how to meet them, contact your Academic Advisor.
Click HERE for Academic Advising Contacts
